Board of the Department
of Natural Resources

Rembert C. Dennis Building,
Room 335

Columbia, SC

Friday, March 28, 2003

9:30 a.m.

The regular meeting of the
Board of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources was held at 9:30 am,
on Friday, March 28, 2003, at the Rembert C. Dennis Building, Columbia, South
Carolina. Notice of the date, time and place of the meeting was posted and
mailed to the news media. Chairman Dr. Joab M. Lesesne presided at the
meeting. Board members present included Dr. Julius Leary, Danny Ford, Ben
Gregg, M. Russell Holliday, Jr., Malloy McEachin, and Dr. Douglas Rucker. Dr.
Paul A. Sandifer and staff members of the Department of Natural Resources were
present at the meeting, as were various guests.

I.Call
to Order

Chairman Lesesne
called the meeting to order at 9:30 a.m. and welcomed everyone to the meeting.

II.Meditation

Chairman Lesesne asked for a moment of silent meditation.

III.Introduction
of Guests

Cary Chamblee
introduced Joey Holleman, The State newspaper.

IV.Approval of
Minutes

Chairman Lesesne asked if there were any corrections or additions to the minutes
of the February 21, 2003, meeting. There being no corrections or additions,
Dr. Leary made a motion that the Board approve the minutes of the February 21,
2003 meeting be approved as submitted. Dr. Rucker seconded the motion and the
motion carried unanimously.

V.
Presentations/Commendations

At this time, Dr. Sandifer
expressed to the Board Members that it has been a privilege, pleasure and honor
to work for them.

Dr. Sandifer stated that the
Deputy Directors and Cary Chamblee are the true backbone of the senior
management team.

Dr. Sandifer also thanked
Jean Cowell, Ed Ducan, Buford Mabry, Angie Williams, Derrick Meggie and John
Frampton for their exceptional service to the agency during his tenure as
Director.

Dr. Sandifer then thanked
Rose Marie Scheibler for her faithful and loyal service while he served as
Director.

VI.Advisory Committee
Reports

Saltwater Recreational
Fisheries

Dr. Miglarese informed the
Board that the Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Advisory Committee met on March
6. The purpose of the meeting was to change the way saltwater license fees are
budgeted and allocated, to assist with budget cuts of the agency. Dr. Miglarese
and staff presented the Advisory Committee a recommendation to spend revenues
within the year that it is received. This would allow for the expenditure of a
larger sum of money during this year. The Advisory Committee concurred with the
recommendation of staff. This is intended as a temporary fix for the current
financial crisis with the understanding that the Committee feels strongly that
the state funds should be reinstated as state funding improves.

Mr. Ed Holder, Vice Chairman
of the Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Advisory Committee, spoke in favor of
the recommendation of staff, on behalf of the Advisory Committee.

VII.Item for Board
Information

Post Season Duck
Hunting Report

Billy McTeer
briefly reviewed the post season duck hunting report as submitted to the Board
with their package.

VIII. Advisory
Committee Reports

Law
Enforcement

Dr. Leary
reported that the Law Enforcement Advisory Committee met in Columbia on March
19. Dr. Leary stated that a significant portion of the meeting was spent on the
request from the Board to review the request that DLEO experience count toward
related experience in applying for a position with the Law Enforcement
Division. Dr. Leary noted that to apply for a Law Enforcement position, either
a bachelorís degree or a GED and four years related law enforcement experience
are required. The Law Enforcement Advisory Committee considered this issue in
depth. Dr. Leary stated that the conclusion of this committee and his motion is
that DLEO experience should be counted as related experience since other law
enforcement related experience is counted, but it should not be year for year,
since DLEOís are not working full time but are working part time. Dr. Leary
reported that the advisory committee also feels that a candidate should have at
least a two year associate degree or two years of college. Dr. Leary made a
motion that the following two changes be made to the required minimum education
and/or experience for applicants for SCDNR Law Enforcement Officer positions 1)
an applicant for a law enforcement position must have at least an associate
degree or two years college equating to 60 semester credit hours, and 2) that 2
years in DLEO service will count as a 1 year for related experience. Mrs.
Holliday seconded the motion and the motion carried unanimously.

IX. Items for Board
Action

A. DNR Board
Policy on Intellectual Property

John Miglarese
gave a brief background regarding the need for a policy of this type. Dr.
Miglarese stated that scientific staff of the Marine Resources Division are
working in collaboration with other universities as well as other federal
agencies in the development of some key disease immunity work regarding marine
fishes and shrimp. Dr. Miglarese reported that there is now a private company
that would like to partner with the Medical University and the Marine Resources
Research Institute staff in the development of a project dealing with shrimp
disease immunity. Dr. Miglarese noted that under federal rules there are
requirements that participants have in place an intellectual property
agreement. Dr. Miglarese informed the Board that he is asking them to give
their approval for the development of this type of policy. Mr. Gregg made a
motion that the Board give conceptual approval for the development of the
intellectual property policy and have staff develop specific language within 60
days. This policy would be Department wide. Mrs. Holliday seconded the motion
and the motion carried unanimously.

B.Darganís
Pond Regulation Amendment

Mac Watson reviewed the
proposed amendment to reopen the lake for fishing on April 1. Mr. McEachin
made a motion that the Board approve the amendment as presented. Mrs. Holliday
seconded the motion and the motion carried unanimously.

C.Florence
Office Site Location

Mr. McTeer reviewed the
potential sites for a regional office. Mr. McTeer stated that the site
preferred by staff and Clemson is at Darganís Pond. Mr. McTeer also informed
the Board that staff have kept Mr. McEachin involved in this and asked if he had
any comments. Mr. McEachin agreed that there is a need to move the current
office and he agreed that Darganís Pond is the best site. Mr. McEachin made
a motion that the Board select the Darganís Pond site for the new office
complex. Mrs. Holliday seconded the motion and the motion carried unanimously.

X.Executive Session

At this time Dr. Leary made
a motion that the Board hold an Executive Session to discuss contractual, legal
and personnel matters.

XI. Return to Regular
Session

The
Board returned to regular session and invited staff and guests to join the
meeting.

Dr. Leary made a motion to
approve of a lease of the Laurel Valley Lodge to Parkette Food Services with the
stipulation that the lease be for a duration of one year to be renewed annually
and with a 60-day escape clause. Mrs. Holliday seconded the motion and the
motion carried unanimously.

Dr. Leary made a motion that
the Board approve a lease agreement to PRT for the Bald Rock Heritage Trust
property. Mrs. Holliday seconded the motion and the motion carried unanimously.

John Frampton distributed
copies of a letter to Ducks Unlimited (copy attached to original minutes) to the
Board and explained that the Migratory Waterfowl Committee was originally a
separate agency but through restructuring it became part of DNR. Mr. Frampton
noted that historically since DNR was involved in the Duck Stamp Program, which
began in 1981, and also a provision in the law that a small portion of the non
resident license sales goes to Canada waterfowl projects, money has been
transferred on an annual basis through Ducks Unlimited to Canada for projects.
In 1985 a policy was developed requiring projects to be approved by the Board
prior to funding and that dollars be earmarked for specific activities in
Canada. Mr. Frampton reported that the Migratory Waterfowl Committee has
approved the transfer of funds for the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Ontario Region
Landscape Initiative and recommends it to the Board. Mrs. Holliday made a
motion that the Board approve the recommendation as presented. Dr. Rucker
seconded the motion and the motion carried unanimously.

XI.Executive Session

At this time Dr. Leary made
a motion that the Board hold an Executive Session to discuss contractual, legal
and personnel matters.

XIV.Return to Regular
Session

The Board
returned to regular session and invited staff and guests to join the meeting.

Dr. Leary made a motion that
the Board name John Frampton as Director of DNR to serve as Acting Director from
April 1, 2003 until such time as compensation is approved through the Agency
Head Salary Commission and the Budget and Control Board. Mrs. Holliday seconded
the motion and the motion carried with Ms. Holliday, Mr. Gregg, Mr. Ford, Dr.
Rucker and Dr. Leary voting in favor and Mr. McEachin voting against the motion.

XVIII.Time
and Location of the Next Meeting

Chairman Lesesne stated that
the next meeting of the DNR Board will be held on Friday, April 25, 2003, at the
Rembert C. Dennis Building in Columbia, beginning at 9:30 a.m.

XIX.Adjournment

There being no further
business to be brought before the DNR Board at this time, the meeting was
adjourned.